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3232The Sweet Truthhttp://www.eattroo.com/sugar-the-sweet-truth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sugar-the-sweet-truth
http://www.eattroo.com/sugar-the-sweet-truth/#commentsSun, 12 Nov 2017 17:17:39 +0000http://www.eattroo.com/?p=617THE SWEET TRUTH We all know that sugar is the root of all evil right? Too much of the white stuff has been linked to a range of health issues such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and mental health, to name a few. Tax on sugary drinks is a hot topic, with the UK poised […]

We all know that sugar is the root of all evil right? Too much of the white stuff has been linked to a range of health issues such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and mental health, to name a few. Tax on sugary drinks is a hot topic, with the UK poised to add 6-8p on a can of fizzy pop in April next year and Ireland recently announcing to add 27p per litre. But the ‘can the tax’ campaigners in America have recently dumped the 1 cent per ounce levy on fizzy drinks in Chicago. (1) Lobbyists from the drinks industry are piling on the pressure to scrap the tax, and campaigners from the health industry to increase it. It’s uncertain which way it will go in the UK at the next budget. What is clear, is that the debate has highlighted the dangers of high sugar products such as fizzy drinks and confectionary. We all know that we shouldn’t be filling ourselves or our kids up with this stuff.

Because of the backlash against sugar, many manufacturers are seeking alternatives to sweeten food. Products and recipes use artificial sweeteners, natural sugar substitutes, fruit syrups, dried fruits and other agents in an attempt to claim ‘low sugar’. More recently the buzzword is ‘refined sugar’ and we are told that we should avoid this at all costs. So, if a products states on the packet that it has no or low refined sugar, but it still contains 20g sugar per 100g on the ingredients list, is this OK? Confused? Greater clarity is needed beyond the obvious ‘poor choices’ that we all know to avoid. To make an informed choice you need to know the facts and hopefully I can help.

WHAT IS SUGAR?

First you need to understand the basics. This is the science bit, but I’ll keep it short. Sugar is a carbohydrate that is present naturally in fruit and vegetables and in dairy products as lactose. The two main types are simple carbohydrates (monosaccharides and disaccharides), and complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides). Mono means one and saccharides means sugar, so essentially, these are single sugar molecules: glucose, fructose and galactose. Di means two, so these are two of the single sugar molecules joined together, making maltose, sucrose or lactose. Poly means many, so as you would expect these are a string of sugar molecules (starch, glycogen and cellulose). Following so far? The picture below should help. (2)

HOW DOES THE BODY USE IT?

In order to understand this further, you need to know how the body uses it. All foods falling into the carbohydrate category, either natural (e.g. potatoes) or processed (e.g. bread) are broken down in the body to a single sugar. So, bread, pasta, rice, vegetables, chocolate, pastries and biscuits ALL turn into glucose eventually, which is the primary fuel for the brain. The rest is used immediately for energy or stored in muscle cells or the liver for later use. When circulating in the blood, glucose is known as ‘blood sugar’ and insulin is secreted from the pancreas when levels rise, to take glucose into our cells. This prevents blood sugar from getting too high, which is dangerous for health.

The speed which your body absorbs sugar is partly determined by the amount of fibre in food, which slows the process down. That’s why it’s better to eat whole, unprocessed foods. Eating the whole fruit, rather than just the juice is a good example and I am a big fan of blending smoothies rather than juicing, for this reason. The other foods on your plate will also have an impact on blood sugar in your body. If you have a balance of proteins and good fats on your plate, this will further slow the absorption of sugar. So, it is definitely better to include something from each food group with all your meals and snacks.

WHAT ABOUT FRUCTOSE?

Fructose is a sugar found naturally in many fruits, some vegetables and honey. However, it is unlike other sugars because it is not the preferred energy source for muscles or the brain and it’s only processed in the liver. It also has minimal impact on blood sugar levels and does not cause insulin to be released. In the past, this has led to the thinking that we can eat as much fruit as we like, because it doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes, or pose health issues.

Evidence is now emerging which raises concerns about high intakes of dietary fructose, because it can be converted to fat in the liver. Much of this research stems from the prevalence of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the food industry. In America, the per capita consumption of HFCS in 2016 was 41.4 pounds. (3) The consumption in the UK is currently lower, as both sugar and HFCS have been subject to export quotas and production restrictions. Worryingly these limits were lifted by the EU on 1st October this year. (4) This gives food manufacturers free reign to switch to fructose corn syrup, should they choose.

Childhood obesity expert, Dr Robert Lustig explains that as there isn’t a hormone to remove fructose from the blood, it’s stored in the liver as glucose, or turned into a fatty acid molecule called a triglyceride. These fats are returned to the blood and deposited around the body. Once the fat stores are full, they can travel to the heart or liver posing serious health risks. (5)

Recent evidence also links fructose to gut health, revealing that it can cause damage to the intestinal lining and imbalance our gut bacteria. (6) Excessive amounts could therefore contribute to a range of health disorders and can also cause bloating and digestive discomfort. We mustn’t forget that there are a host of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in fruit, so it shouldn’t be demonised. However, intake should not be unlimited, more on that later.

REFINED VS UNREFINED

We all know that it’s better to eat whole fruit (in moderation) and vegetables, rather than a chocolate bar. We’ve learned that natural carbohydrate sources will give more sustained energy and stable blood sugar. But what exactly is a refined sugar?

Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. It is typically found as sucrose (commonly known as table sugar), which is the combination of glucose and fructose. During the refining process, all the vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants are stripped away.

Food manufacturers add refined or chemically produced sugar (HFCS) to many foods and drinks to make them more palatable. A lot of these are not things you might typically expect to find sugar in and low-fat foods are often the worst offenders. Get in the habit of checking labels to see what the sugar content is, you might be surprised as you can see! (7)

Unrefined sugar on the other hand, retains all the natural nutrients. These are raw, unrefined sugar products such as honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, date syrup and molasses. But, here is where you must be careful, because these unrefined ‘healthy’ sugars can also have refined versions.

The processed golden honey found in supermarkets is completely different from ‘raw’ unpasteurized honey which still contains beneficial enzymes, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It also has a GI of about 75, compared to raw honey at around 30. Processed maple syrup that is commonly used on pancakes is often flavoured with maple and loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Choosing a ‘pure’ maple syrup ensures that it is not as refined and still contains beneficial nutrients. You will pay a premium for these products; however, you need to use a fraction of the amount of the cheaper more processed versions. Supermarkets won’t always stock these, so head to your health food store, or shop online.

WHAT ABOUT DRIED FRUIT?

Lots of recipes are now suggesting that we substitute refined sugar for dried fruits such as raisins, prunes, apricots and dates. Dried fruit has had all the water content removed and with this, the vitamin C content is also dramatically reduced. The fibre and antioxidant content, however are increased. (8,9) But if we look at the fructose content of a range of fruits, it is dried varieties that top the chart. (10)

So, as with everything in life, it is all about balance. If you are going to ditch refined sugar and start eating 20 medjool dates every day, this is probably not the best idea! However, if like me you are going to use dates in recipes to replace sugary snacks and use these sparing, then it’s better than using the refined sugar. Healthy snacks such as energy balls usually use dates (incidentally I use deglet noir as they are not only cheaper but lower in fructose) and I would have one ball a day as a ‘sweet treat’. I find this chart really useful to moderate the amount of high fructose fruit that is consumed. It does shed light on the downside of giving kids boxes of raisins daily, versus say a tangerine.

HOW MUCH DO WE NEED?

The NHS states that we shouldn’t have more than 5% of our calorie intake as sugar, which is 30g of sugar (7.5 teaspoons) a day for anyone aged 11 or over. Children aged 7-10 should not have more than 24g a day (6 teaspoons) and aged 4-6, no more than 19g a day (just under 5 teaspoons). (11) So, you start the kids’ day with a bowl of cheerios and a glass of orange juice, pack them off to school with a carton of fruit juice in their packed lunch and then a kids yogurt later. This, without any ‘sweet’ treats gives them about 12 teaspoons of sugar!

The Government supports the UK Eatwell Guide which shows you their version of a healthy plate and what should come from each food group. (12) On this, they do not include sugary foods at all, but show them separately, saying ‘eat less often and in small amounts’. Their advice is still to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily, which I believe is now outdated. We should not be eating to prevent disease, rather we should eat to optimise health. From this perspective I much prefer the Alliance for Natural Health ‘Food4Health Plate’ which state that we should eat from 6 groups each day; vegetables (40%), Fruits (10%), Grains (10%), Healthy Fats (10%), Protein (25%) and concentrated nutrients (5%). (13) This could be developed further to include fermented foods, which are beneficial for gut health and are thankfully becoming more readily accessible.

In my opinion we should strive to include 6-8 vegetables a day and minimise fruit to 2-3 portions. Using the fructose guide, it would be smart to try and ensure that you aren’t picking all the high fructose varieties. Dried fruits should be minimised and used sparingly as treats. People with blood sugar and digestive issues could benefit from minimising further, or even removing fruits completely. There should always be room for a treat, so try to pick a day or evening that is your treat time and think about minimising the quantity of the treat, so it’s not a binge! When choosing packaged products, try to pick the lowest percentage of sugar per 100g that you can (under 5% would be a good start) and eat whole foods as much as possible. Remember that if you enjoy a drink on the weekend you should also consider the sugar content. A large glass of dry white, prosecco or red wine is a quarter of a teaspoon, a pint of ale 1 tsp, a pint of lager is 2 tsp, and a pint of sweet cider such is up to 5 tsp! If chocolate is your weakness, treat yourself to a bar of raw chocolate which is made by roasting the cocoa beans to much lower temperatures. This retains nutrients and antioxidants that are usually destroyed. It’s also dairy and refined sugar free.

SUGAR ALTERNATIVES

So, what about the myriad of sugar alternatives on offer? Well here’s an overview and my advice on the ones to buy and avoid:

Artificial sweeteners such as saccharine, sucralose and aspartame (brand names Nutrasweet, Equal, Splenda) are best avoided altogether. Research indicates that these can disrupt appetite regulation and promote weight gain, as well as negatively impact gut health. (14,15,16)

Agave nectar was considered a healthy sweetener a few years ago. Recent evidence however shows that whilst it is low in GI, it has an extremely high fructose level (over 70%). From this perspective I would not recommend using this product at all.

Coconut sugar is from the sap of the coconut tree and has a sweet caramel flavour. It is a low GI option at only 35, low in fructose and contains trace amounts of vitamins and minerals. It also contains inulin, which is a fibre which can help to slow glucose absorption and is beneficial for our gut bacteria. (17) Whilst it isn’t refined, it should be used sparingly as it does contain the same calories as sugar. I have found this works well in small quantities in baking and desserts.

Xylitol and Erythritol are sugar alcohols or polyols and have low GI and calories. They are naturally derived and can be used in recipes to substitute sugar, in lower quantities. They do not stimulate an insulin response and therefore can be useful for diabetics. People with digestive complaints such as IBS should be cautious as they can cause digestive disturbance. I don’t tend to use these products as I am cautious of their highly processed nature and lack of evidence of safety.

Maple syrup as discussed should only be used in it’s raw unprocessed form as it contains more nutrients. Its strong taste means you won’t need to use much and I would advise to use it sparingly as it has a GI of 54. I do use maple in some of my recipes and to drizzle it on gluten free pancakes.

Honey should also be unrefined and raw, or you could splash out on manuka honey which has antimicrobial properties. Not only is raw honey lower GI than processed, it also contains beneficial enzymes and nutrients. Remember though to use in moderation as it is still high in fructose.

Date syrup is extracted from dates using a soaking and squeezing process. It has a GI of around 50 and is also high in fructose. It is OK to use in moderation, but I prefer to use whole dates in my recipes, which retain the fibre and vitamins and minerals.

Brown rice syrup is a natural sweetener also called rice malt syrup. Cheaper versions are made from cooked brown rice cultured with enzymes. Better versions use sprouted grains that release the enzymes to break the rice down into maltose and other sugars. Brown rice syrup does not contain any fructose and I think in moderation it is a good sweetener, but it doesn’t work so well in baking.

Blackstrap molasses is a by-product of sugar, but it is unrefined as it still contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. It has a GI of about 55 and contains high levels of vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron and selenium. It also contains high levels of antioxidants, compared to other sugar substitutes. (18) I think it’s an underrated sweetener and has more uses than people realise!

Stevia is a low calorie natural sweetener which comes from the stevia plant in South America. It is much sweeter than sugar, so you only need to use a little. There are some highly processed varieties on the market (such as Truvia) which often add in other chemicals, or come from GMO plants. These products should be totally avoided and really don’t taste good at all. If using stevia, make sure that you only buy full green leaf stevia which is the least processed.

Chicory root fibre (or inulin) is what gives TROO granola it’s sweetness. It is a soluble fibre, with many health benefits and it has no impact on blood sugar levels. Best of all, inulin is a prebiotic meaning that it feeds the good bacteria in our guts. It isn’t widely available for home use.

For the best choice of all these products, you should head to a health food store, as you won’t find them all in the supermarket. Some on line retailers that stock these are:

THE 28 DAY CHALLENGE

So, it all sounds a bit gloomy, right? Basically, there is sugar everywhere. But honestly, it’s not as hard as you think to cut down. By making a positive change you are not only taking control of your health, but you will most likely shed a few pounds at the same time. As an experiment, I cut refined sugar and alcohol from my diet for 28 days and did not find it nearly as hard as I imagined. Although during this time I did include fruit (2 a day) and used dried fruit (dates) to provide me with healthy ‘treats’ (again 1 small treat per day). I used sugar alternatives sparingly for baking and increased my protein and vegetable intake. I found myself way less hungry, my energy levels improved, my hormones balanced and I lost 1.5 inches from my waistline. I’ve not had any sugar since the end of the detox (2 weeks ago) because I just don’t miss it or want it. I’ve found that the alternatives I’m using are more than enough to satisfy any cravings (which but the way also reduced dramatically). I have had a drink or 3, but am much more moderate about this too. Try the 28-day challenge, it might just step change your diet (and health) for good!

]]>http://www.eattroo.com/sugar-the-sweet-truth/feed/1Walnuts & Gut Healthhttp://www.eattroo.com/walnuts-gut-health/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=walnuts-gut-health
http://www.eattroo.com/walnuts-gut-health/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 18:13:53 +0000http://www.eattroo.com/?p=550A new study led by Lauri Byerley, PhD, RD, Research Associate Professor of Physiology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine has found that walnuts in the diet can change the makeup of bacteria in the gut. .

A recent study led by by Lauri Byerley, PhD, RD, Research Associate Professor of Physiology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, discovered that eating walnuts can change the makeup of bacteria in the gut suggesting a new way that walnuts can be linked to better health. The research and findings are published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

Lauri Byerley explains “Walnuts have been called a ‘superfood’ because they are rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linoleic acid and fiber, and they contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants, now, an additional superfood benefit of walnuts may be their beneficial changes to the gut microbiota.”

Working with a rodent model, the research team added walnuts to the diet of one group, with another as control. They then measured the types and numbers of gut bacteria in each group and compared the results. They differences were clear – in the walnut-eating group, the numbers and types of bacteria changed, as did the way that the bacteria functioned. In particular the researchers discovered a significant increase in friendly bacteria like Lactobacillus.

“We found that walnuts in the diet increased the diversity of bacteria in the gut, and other non-related studies have associated less bacterial diversity with obesity and other diseases like inflammatory bowel disease,” reported Byerley. “Walnuts increased several bacteria, like Lactobacillus, typically associated with probiotics suggesting walnuts may act as a prebiotic.”

Prebiotics are the ‘food’ for the good, friendly bacteria that help our guts be healthy. It generally come from fibre that is strong enough the pass through to the lower intestine, hence the importance of getting at least 30g of fibre per day into your diet. We have lots in Troo Granola – coming from our gluten free jumbo oats and from the chicory root fibre. Additional contributions from Walnuts in some of our recipes (Nutty Troo Granola) will be even more powerful. Tastes delicious as well!

In summary, the researchers concluded that eating walnuts could help rebalance the gut microbe potentially providing a new physiological mechanism for improved health. The research was supported by the American Institute for Cancer Research and California Walnut Commission.

]]>http://www.eattroo.com/walnuts-gut-health/feed/0Benefits of Chicory Root Fibrehttp://www.eattroo.com/benefits-chicory-root-fibre/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=benefits-chicory-root-fibre
http://www.eattroo.com/benefits-chicory-root-fibre/#respondSun, 24 Sep 2017 18:26:03 +0000http://www.eattroo.com/?p=518Chicory Root fibre is a 100% natural prebiotic that adds sweetness and fibre to products, we use it in all Troo products. It has many scientifically proven health benefits and specifically can aid gut health considerably. Here we discuss where it comes from and some of the latest research on health outcomes.

Chicory root fibre comes from the pretty blue-flowered herb shown at the top of this post. It grows across the world – throughout North America, China and Europe. We get our chicory root fibre from flowers grown in Northern Europe. For years the roots have been used to make a great caffeine-free coffee substitute, and of course the leaves of the herb make a bitter addition to a tasty salad. It should not be confused with the Belgian endive or radicchio, these types of salad chicory are from the same family but are quite different.

We are interested in an extract from the roots; a prebiotic fibre sometimes listed as polysaccharides or fructooligosaccharides (FOS) – these are the scientific names for the extract’s type of sugar chains. It’s also sometimes called ‘inulin’. Whilst technically it is a type of sugar and it does add sweetness (one reason for adding it to our products) – it’s really different to normal sugar it isn’t easily digested and so it has little to no impact on your blood sugar levels.

Why is Chicory Root Fibre Good For Gut Health?

When eaten the chicory root fibre moves through the gut to your large intestine pretty much intact and works as a prebiotic feeding the good gut bacteria. You might have heard of probiotics and how important they are – well without prebiotics like chicory root fibre the friendly gut bacteria couldn’t flourish. Oats is another fantastic prebiotic – our gluten free oats work in harmony with the chicory root fibre to supercharge your gut flora.

Medicinal use of chicory root dates back to ancient Egyptians and it has been used to treat everything from pulmonary disease or tuberculosis, to cancer, cough, or wounds. Over the past few years there have been lots of new scientific studies to prove the health benefits of chicory root fibre (inulin). A White Paper by the Beneo Institute is particularly interesting. It is relatively easy to read (aside from a few complicated sections); covering lots of useful context for example describing exactly what a prebiotic is and how the extract is produced from the chicory root. It then goes on to cover the potential health benefits and the scientific support for areas including:

Growth of gut flora and improvements in gut health

Improvements in digestion (including some discussion of the FODMAP principles)

Again it’s worth a look at the original article to find out more and to see the science behind the claims. We like his advice that the best way to consume inulin is to eat the natural products that contain it – chicory root fibre, jerusalem artichoke, yams, asparagus, leeks and onions; but eating products from Troo is another natural, easy and delicious alternative! You can buy Troo Products from the EatTroo shop.

Dr. Axe founded one of the most visited natural health website in the world at DrAxe.com, which has over 15 million monthly visitors, where the main topics include nutrition, natural medicine, fitness, healthy recipes, home remedies and trending health news.

]]>http://www.eattroo.com/benefits-chicory-root-fibre/feed/0Impact of Probiotics on Your Moodhttp://www.eattroo.com/impact-probiotics-mood/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=impact-probiotics-mood
http://www.eattroo.com/impact-probiotics-mood/#respondSun, 03 Sep 2017 16:18:37 +0000http://www.eattroo.com/?p=492We’re continuing sharing interesting articles on gut health and mental wellness – research now shows that chronically elevated levels of inflammation throughout the body and brain can be one of the underlying causes of depression and other mood and cognitive disorders. This is from University Health News. Inflammation can be a result of poor gut […]

]]>We’re continuing sharing interesting articles on gut health and mental wellness – research now shows that chronically elevated levels of inflammation throughout the body and brain can be one of the underlying causes of depression and other mood and cognitive disorders. This is from University Health News.

Inflammation can be a result of poor gut health and specific probiotics (sometimes called psychobiotics) could have a positive effect on the brain by lowering inflammation. Scientists are working to identify which probiotics boost mood and cognitive function and decrease stress and anxiety-like symptoms.

Psychobiotics are live organisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produce a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness. This definition coined in 2013 is now felt to be too limiting. Latest research shows that you don’t need to have clinical depression, an anxiety disorder, or some other psychiatric disorder in order for psychobiotics to have a positive impact on your brain. Anyone suffering from chronic stress, low mood, or anxiety-like symptoms has the potential to benefit from this class of probiotics.

Currently psychobiotics probiotics with scientific research undertaken include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Bifidobacterium bifidum (2 billion CFUs each). After eight weeks, patients who received these probiotics had reduced total scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, a popular test used to measure depression severity, in comparison to a placebo. Another study tested a probiotic containing Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175 (Probio’Stick®). This was proven to help alleviate psychological distress, particularly depression, anger-hostility, and anxiety, and improved problem solving when taken for 30 days.

In summary the results of these studies and others show that psychobiotics have the potential to positively impact brain function, boost mood, treat depression and anxiety, and help you handle stress.You can read more about this study here.

Here we share our learning and fascinating facts about gut health – this is where we get our inspiration from. If this doesn’t convince you, who knows what will!

Gut Health Fact 1 Your Microbiomet

Gut Health Fact 2 Your Gut Is A Second Brain

Gut Health fact 3 Gut Health And Obesity

Gut Health Fact 4 Size of Microbiome

Gut Health Fact 5 Gut Health and IBS and CFS

Gut Health Fact 6 PRE AND PROBIOTICS

Gut Health Fact 7 Gut Health and Mental Health

Gut Health Fact 8 Gut Health and Sleep Deprivation

Gut Health Fact 9 Gut Health and Weight

Gut Health Fact 10 Gut Health and Fitness

Gut Health Fact 11 Good Food For Gut Health

Gut Health Fact 12 Stress and Gut Health

Gut Health Fact 13 Probiotics and Mood

#guthealthfact #13

Research now shows that chronically elevated levels of inflammation throughout the body and brain can be one of the underlying causes of depression and other mood and cognitive disorders. This inflammation can stem from the gut, and specific probiotics (sometimes called psychobiotics) could have a positive effect on the brain by lowering inflammation. Scientists are working to identify which probiotics boost mood and cognitive function and decrease stress and anxiety-like symptoms. You can read more about this here: http://ow.ly/qhV530eSu4e

Join us now...

]]>http://www.eattroo.com/gut-health-facts/feed/0Is there a link between Gut Health & Mental Wellbeing?http://www.eattroo.com/link-gut-health-mental-wellbeing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=link-gut-health-mental-wellbeing
http://www.eattroo.com/link-gut-health-mental-wellbeing/#respondSun, 30 Jul 2017 10:44:34 +0000http://www.eattroo.com/?p=280We’ve been investigating how gut health can affect your mental well being. Funnily enough this is not a new discovery! In the 1800’s patients in mental institutions were fed laxatives and ‘mineral tonics’ to purge them of impurities. Not necessarily the right approach but interesting that a link was considered between the gut and the brain […]

We’ve been investigating how gut health can affect your mental well being.

Funnily enough this is not a new discovery! In the 1800’s patients in mental institutions were fed laxatives and ‘mineral tonics’ to purge them of impurities. Not necessarily the right approach but interesting that a link was considered between the gut and the brain even in those times.

Nowadays we are delighted to report that much more considered studies are taking place to explore the potential links. In fact in February 2015 the Scientific American reported: “Scientists are increasingly convinced that the vast assemblage of microfauna in our intestines may have a major impact on our state of mind”.

Some call the gut the ‘second brain’ – the whole of your digestive tract contains millions of neurons that communicate with the ‘first brain’ sending messages that could affect your well-being. This is where sayings like ‘gut-feeling’ and ‘gut instinct’ come from – and is how our gut can account for how we sense something or how we intuitively feel and respond to a situation.

Two human studies have looked at people with major depression and found that their gut bacteria differed from healthy volunteers. It’s not yet clear why there is a difference, but this could be the start of exciting discoveries. As evidence mounts there could be proof that we can, in part, eat ourselves to mental wellness. In fact in a paper published in The Lancet in March 2015 an international group of scientists suggested that diet is “as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology, endocrinology and gastroenterology.”.

So what would a gut healthy / mental wellness diet look like? It might be something like this:

Eat a wide range of plant based food – the more variety the better to introduce as many different microbes into your gut.

Build the gut bacteria with lots of healthy fermented food and drinks like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kombucha and kefir – check the labels to ensure they contain the ‘live cultures’ that will deliver the goodness and haven’t been pasteurised to take all of the good bacteria away!

Use the right kind of dairy products – raw milk and live yoghurt containing beneficial bacteria – probiotics that will add to your gut flora. If you are lactose intolerant then cultured soy milk or soy yoghurt will do the same job.

Enjoy fruit, vegetables, pulses, nuts and wholegrains like gluten free oats and other fibres like chicory root that are prebiotics, which means the fibre they contain acts as food for your good bacteria to feed off and grow and multiply in your gut.

If you have to eat bread make it sourdough, preferably handmade from an artisan baker.

Choose extra-virgin olive oil over other fats if possible. This has the highest number of microbe-friendly polyphenols in comparison to other oils.

The important things to avoid are sugary, processed foods that can encourage the growth of non-beneficial bacteria and, where possible, don’t take antibiotics. If the latter is a necessity, then follow the course up with a super gut-friendly diet with lots of probiotics to boost your gut flora as quickly as you can.

This is just the start of us having proof and a real science-based understanding how mental health and diet are linked – the best is really yet to come. Meanwhile a gut healthy diet is not going to do you any harm so do what you can right away and start to eat yourself to healthiness and happiness.